Physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes can use radio frequency (RF) energy to enhance substrate processing for certain applications. For example, RF energy may be provided to a target of a PVD chamber to facilitate sputtering of materials from the target and depositing the sputtered materials onto a substrate disposed in the PVD chamber. The inventors have observed that process non-uniformity issues, such as non-uniform film deposition, may arise in such PVD chambers under certain operating conditions. The inventors believe that conventional electrostatic chucks may be at least a part of the cause of these process non-uniformities.
Accordingly, the inventors have provided embodiments of improved substrate supports for use in substrate processing systems.